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‘Driftwood’ might sound like an odd title for a show that features lots of motion, flexibility and suppleness. But the idea is that this hour-long performance by Australian circus troupe Casus – which ran to acclaim at Edinburgh last year, albeit with a difference cast – is a meditation on the great cycle of life. You know: we’re all pieces of driftwood bobbing in the stream, that kind of thing. In less metaphorical terms, it plays out as a sequence of acrobatic routines and choreographed dances that are light, playful and set to a sultry soundtrack including songs by Gotye and Tune-Yards.
The five performers take on roles rather like children of Eden: newly awakened in the world and eager to discover what their bodies are capable of. There are routines involving hoops, swings, ropes and an enormous pole – but generally, the best moments are those where they keep things simple. Perhaps the winning point is where they play on height differences; seeing the tall Sarah McDougall hoik the diminituve Jon Bonaventura on to her shoulders is a sweet flip on the usual gender expectations. David Trappes’s headstand on a rocking swing drew a round of applause from a dazzled audience.
The ensemble moments – human pyramids by and large – do occasionally come off as a bit seat-of-the-pants. But to be fair, in the relative intimacy of Underbelly’s Spiegeltent space, seeing the odd flubbed move and buckling leg makes for a rawer experience. It never quite amounts to more than the sum of its parts, but its rough-spun charm forgives the less virtuoso moments. ‘Driftwood’ is ultimately a very human show, and endearingly so.